ADA	Americans with Disability Act (P.L. 101-336)
ADD	Attention Deficit Disorder
ADHD	Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
CA	Chronological Age
CBI	Community Based Instruction
DD	Developmental Disability
ESD	Educational Service District
FAPE	Free Appropriate Public Education
FERPA	Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (P.L. 93-390)
FTE	Full Time Equivalency
HH	Homebound and/or Hospitalized
IDEA '97	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Amendments of 1997)
IEE	Independent Educational Evaluation
IEP	Individualized Education Program (document)
IEPT	Individualized Educational Program Team (meeting)
IFSP	Individualized Family Service Plan
IQ	Intelligence Quotient
LEA	Local Educational Agency (Local School District)
LRE	Least Restrictive Environment
MAPS	McGill Action Planning System
MDE	Michigan Department of Education
MET	Multidisciplinary Evaluation Team
OSE	Office of Special Education
OT	Occupational Therapist or Occupational Therapy
PAC	Parent Advisory Committee
PO	Performance Objective
PT	Physical Therapist or Physical Therapy
SEAC	State Special Education Advisory Committee
Section 504	The "nondiscrimination on the basis of handicap" portion of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended)
SSW	School Social Worker
TBI	Traumatic Brain Injury
TC	Teacher Consultant
TMI	Trainable Metnally Impaired
TSLI	Teacher of the Speech and Language Impaired

The special learning needs areas are named in the law. They are:

	Severely Mentally Impaired
	Trainable Mentally Impaired
	Educable Mentally Impaired
	Emotionally Impaired
	Hearing Impaired
	Visually Impaired
	Physically and Otherwise Health Impaired
	Speech and Language Impaired
	Learning Disabled
	Severely Multiply Impaired
	Autism Spectrum Disorder
	Deaf-Blindness

 

Each is explained generally below. A more complete definition may be found in the Michigan Special Education Rules as amended July 1, 1987.

R340.1705 Persons in this group are considered as mildly retarded (slow learner) and will eventually become self-sufficient. The 3 R's, personal adjustment, pre-vocational and vocational skills are principal parts of the program. Students often take part in regular education classes and general school activities.

Emotionally Impaired - E.I.

R340.1706 Persons in this group have emotional problems that interfere with their learning. Programs usually stress ways of relating with other people.

Hearing Impaired - H.I.

R340.1707

Persons in this group have a hearing loss that interferes with learning. Hearing aids and other help listed in the I.E.P. will be provided in the regular or special education classroom.

Visually Impaired - V.I.

R340.1708

Persons in this group have losses in sight that interfere with learning. Instruction will include orientation and mobility training, aids as listed in the I.E.P. and teachers/consultants based on needs.

Physically or Otherwise Health Impaired - P.O.H.I.

R340.1709 Persons who have physical or health problems that interfere with learning. Programs assistance covers a wide range of help.

Speech and Language Impaired - S.L.I.

R340.1710

Persons in this group have problems with speech (saying words or sounds), or in their language (expressing IDEA '97s orally), that cause problems in learning or social adjustment. Programs focus on a variety of ways to help correct the problem area.

Preprimary Impaired - P.P.I.

R340.1711 Persons in this group are ages 0 through 5 years. To be found P.P.I., a child must function at only half of the level a normal child would function in one or more areas of development. A child can be called P.P.I. if the lack of progress is not a result of the other handicaps.

Specific Learning Disability - L.D.

R340.1713 Persons in this group have difficulty learning at a normal rate. A person may seem to be capable in all respects, but does not learn in normal ways. Special help will be provided.

Severely Multiply Impaired - S.X.I.

R340.1714

Persons in this group must have some level of retardation and one or more other handicaps. This category may need further explanation from local or Educational Service District professionals.

Autistic Impaired - A.I.

R340.1715 Persons with this handicap usually develop at a normal rate until about the age of two years. The child then appears to forget many of the things he or she learned, including most or all speech. The child also appears uninterested in other people and may spend long periods of time looking at or playing with one object. Programs for this rare handicap focus on communication and socialization.

The federal government Special Education Law is the Individuals with Disabilities Act - Public Law 105-17 (IDEA '97). This requires a free appropriate public education for handicapped children. In Michigan this means from birth through age 25.

The schools must meet both state and federal laws. We must ask the parents to be involved in the planning meetings. These are called IEPT meetings.